Kate and Ben's chicks all look well and are getting bigger every day. Next Tuesday is the most likely day for them to fledge but they do all look fit and active, so perhaps they will go earlier?
This picture was taken at about 7.30pm yesterday. All eight chicks are clearly visible and none of them looks as though it is the runt of the litter!
This is a very similar shot taken first thing this morning.
Another view of all eight chicks. (The eighth chick is a bit difficult to see. It is at the bottom right of the picture right by the white feather.)
Ben comes with some food to feed to the chicks. - Again, the eighth chick can just be seen at the bottom of the picture. It appears to be ignoring the general clamour for food.
A parent comes to the nest box with some food and is mobbed by the chicks even before it is inside!
This time it is Mum's turn to face the mob! All chicks appear to be eager for food!
Another feeding visit.
Here you can clearly see all eight chicks.
When they live so much on top (literally) of each other, you can see why their mother is so keen on keeping the nest box clean! The four chicks at the bottom of the picture appear to be so close that it is easy to miss one! In fact you can see the heads of eight chicks again here.
It is now after eight o'clock and another feed is on its way. How the parent chicks manage to keep up with their chicks' appetites at this stage of their development, we just can't imagine! They start before 5 o'clock in the morning and go on until dusk - presently after 8pm.
Our camera lights go off at about a quarter past eight but we think feeding goes on later than this!